Everyday life in the USSR

August 5, 2009 2:50 PM

Real USSR is a blog containing commentaries on everyday life in the former Soviet Union. The liberal use of family and other amateur photos provides unusual insight into the daily experience of Soviet life. Topics range from 1940s homemade double-exposure photography to queueing to USSR - the birthplace of feminism. via
posted by Rumple (23 comments total)

I found loads of fascinating stuff on here, thanks.
posted by tawny at 3:16 PM on August 5, 2009

for other great pictures out of russia, i find the vintage pictures group on livejournal to be a good source.
posted by nadawi at 3:17 PM on August 5, 2009

(by russia i mean the former soviet union, of course)
posted by nadawi at 3:18 PM on August 5, 2009

This is fascinating. The homemade double-exposure photography, especially, is just...wow. From an archival perspective, so interesting.
posted by teamparka at 3:22 PM on August 5, 2009

Great find, thank you.
posted by WPW at 3:58 PM on August 5, 2009

So great; thank you!
posted by contessa at 4:03 PM on August 5, 2009

I feel like someday we're going to need one of these for pre-financial-apocalypse-America.
posted by Afroblanco at 4:09 PM on August 5, 2009

OK, this is super awesome. Thanks!!
posted by madamjujujive at 4:18 PM on August 5, 2009

Oh hell yes! Thank you.
posted by munchingzombie at 5:24 PM on August 5, 2009

Fascinating site; thanks for the post.
posted by languagehat at 5:26 PM on August 5, 2009

I love this! Thanks!
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:53 PM on August 5, 2009

The author of the blog sure hates Stalin, huh?
posted by Mayor Curley at 6:02 PM on August 5, 2009

what is there to LIKE about Stalin?
posted by shockingbluamp at 6:28 PM on August 5, 2009 [1 favorite]

Thank you.
posted by Stewriffic at 6:57 PM on August 5, 2009

These remind me of my grandpa. Thanks.
posted by Beardman at 7:40 PM on August 5, 2009

The author of the blog sure hates Stalin, huh?

You know WHO ELSE hated Stali--

Seriously, fascinating link. Thanks.
posted by Sidhedevil at 8:06 PM on August 5, 2009 [3 favorites]

You know WHO ELSE hated Stali--

FDR?
posted by Afroblanco at 8:47 PM on August 5, 2009 [3 favorites]

What is there to LIKE about Stalin?

Stalin was once walking arounf outside the Kremlin, when a young boy of 6 or 7 passed by. Stalin stroked and patted the boy's head. So, you see, Stalin was actually a nice guy.

But Meatbomb, he also killed millions!

Yes, and he could have killed that little boy, too! Such restraint, such compassion!
posted by Meatbomb at 1:42 AM on August 6, 2009

Apparently he was a dashing young expropriator of the banks and oil barons of Batumi and Baku with a line in bad poetry (not actually read the book reviewed at the link, mind).
posted by Abiezer at 2:05 AM on August 6, 2009

I'll bet you $100 that #3 won this beauty contest.
posted by digsrus at 5:12 AM on August 6, 2009 [1 favorite]

I've recently watched Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears, a Russian film from 1979, which won the 1980 Acadamy Award in the catagory best foreign language. It's a well done portait of Soviet life in the 1950's and 1970's, full of humor and certainly deserving your attention if you're interested in what caused queues at Russian cinemas in those days. Buy it.
posted by mbn at 8:25 AM on August 6, 2009

Am I the only one that is expecting to see Liz Lemon appear at any second close to this one?
posted by flaterik at 11:07 AM on August 6, 2009

Thanks mbn (not to be confused with mdn)!!. I'll check out that movie. Did you see the reference also in the double exposure link to this movie?
posted by Rumple at 1:43 PM on August 6, 2009